


Getting clarity

by JessX2231



Series: Nothing could be better than love [1]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Canon Compliant, Episode s03e10 Sebastian Raine, Episode s03e11 Stop Saying Lice!, Fluff, Hiking, Mentioned Sebastian Raine, Post 3x10, Pre-Relationship, Texting, post 3x11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 09:58:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18736753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessX2231/pseuds/JessX2231
Summary: The more time they spent together, the more Patrick couldn’t ignore that perhaps the feelings he had for David were more than just business partner chemistry and admiration for a brilliant business model. He liked this guy. And he didn’t quite know how to move forward with that.So he hiked.





	Getting clarity

A quick Google search led him to Rattlesnake Point.

Patrick had really been making strides in improving his life in Schitt’s Creek. The first two months had been...weird, to say the least. After managing to get settled with a job _and_ a place to rent with Ray, Patrick allowed himself to start imagining what his bigger plan was. He needed more direction. He was glad to still be doing work in business, but he certainly had no plans to remain an employee of Ray’s for very long. So when a brand new opportunity presented itself in the form of David Rose’s one of a kid, locally sourced, branded experience, Patrick knew it was exactly what he needed. The thought of building something brand new in a town where he had no reputation was the perfect combination of comforting and thrilling. It was a chance to start a new career, something he could focus his energy on and be proud of.

Plus, there was something about David from the very first time they met. Patrick loved his energy, his drive, and even his subtle arrogance. He knew what he wanted to do with the general store and despite not having the properly worded answers for his business forms, he had a brilliant idea. Patrick knew from years of studying business that the particulars and vocabulary and structure were all things you could be taught, but the ability to dream and imagine was something innate, and not everyone had it. David certainly did, and Patrick was more than happy to supply some of the rest.

It also didn’t hurt that David was quite possibly one of the most attractive men Patrick had ever seen.  

He demanded attention and Patrick wanted to give it to him every second he could. Patrick had always been attracted to passion and connected easily to the feeling that you had something to prove, and David Rose delivered it all in stunning outfits and perfectly styled hair and a shy, intimate smile that Patrick was constantly teasing out of him. He didn’t think anything of it at first, but the more time they spent together, the more Patrick couldn’t ignore that perhaps the feelings he had for David were more than just business partner chemistry and admiration for a brilliant business model. He _liked_ this guy. And he didn’t quite know how to move forward with that.

So he hiked.

He was surprised it had taken him so long to fall back on his connection to nature. Back home, it was one of his go-to methods of escape. Some people drank their worries away, some people spent tons of money on things they didn’t need, but Patrick craved alone time, no wireless connection, and the thrill of endorphins. He had fallen into such an easy routine since moving to Schitt’s Creek that he didn’t really consider where he could go if he ever needed some time to regroup and recharge. Or to simply think. Patrick’s feelings for David were moving quicker than his mind could process, so after discovering that Rattlesnake Point was just a half an hour drive away, he grabbed his hiking boots and set out to get his mind on track.

Yesterday had been a bit of a wake up call for him. He was so quick to offer David a place to stay when he found out Alexis had lice that he hadn’t even considered the particulars. First of all, he didn’t technically _have_ a place for David to stay. He probably could have made it work, offering David his bed and opting to sleep on the couch in the back room, but that was probably something he should have considered before making the offer. Plus, had he crossed a line? Was it too weird or forward or unprofessional to ask your business partner to sleep at your place? Patrick eventually realized that the worry alone was telling enough that there was something different between them. Or at least, it was there for Patrick.

There weren’t many other people on the trail, which was surprising to Patrick when he saw how beautiful it was. It was the perfect weather - warm with a gentle breeze and the guard of trees to shelter him from the beaming sun - and an easy enough trail. It was steadily uphill and the grounds were even enough for Patrick to let his mind wander without worry of tripping or falling.

As he hiked, he couldn’t help but think more intimately about the time he’d spent with David.

When the grant money came in, Patrick cut back on his hours with Ray more and more until it just made sense to commit to David’s store full time. It was a risk not to have any guarantee that he’d still have a job in a few months, but the decision didn’t _feel_ risky. Patrick meant what he said to David, that his business was a good idea and that he really had something to make of it. He believed in Rose Apothecary, which meant it would be worth it no matter the outcome.

The outcome Patrick hadn’t been anticipating was how quickly he started developing feelings for his business partner.

They spent _a lot_ of time together those first few weeks. What started as a handful of meetings to discuss a timeline to opening day and logistics of deliveries quickly turned into late night brainstorming sessions about new local vendors and the possibility of hiring an associate once they found their footing. They had an easy back and forth, bouncing ideas off each other without judgment or skepticism. (Okay, maybe a little skepticism from David regarding anything Patrick suggested about the design. But it was a good opportunity for David to tease him back, so Patrick took it all in stride).

The more comfortable they got with discussing the future of the store, the more naturally some lines started to blur in terms of more personal aspects of their lives. When Patrick asked what had inspired David’s decision to lease the general store, he wasn’t expecting to get such an intimate look into David’s past. He learned about the art gallery in New York, his more recent experience with Blouse Barn, and the conversation he had with his mom that revealed the truth about what he had always considered one of his life’s most solid accomplishments. Learning that his parents had subsidized his entire professional career gave David a new motivation to prove what he was capable of on his own.

Patrick actually remembers the conversation quite clearly. They had finished reviewing the floor plan David was gradually working to bring to life, and then moved on to a well-practiced routine of unpacking the products in their designated sections of the store. In an effort to take his mind off the fact he wished he and David were still sitting close to each other, the accidental touches much more likely and the scent of David’s cologne lingering in the small space between them, Patrick mentioned that he liked the design of the Rose Apothecary logo, once again praising David’s dedication to detail and brand recognition.

“Did you design them yourself?” Patrick had asked.

“Oh, no,” David was quick to reply. “Unfortunately, none of my time spent owning an art gallery had any impact on my own personal design capabilities. I was merely left with a flawless execution of spatial decoration and a perfect eye for color palettes.”

Patrick had chuckled, easily reeled in. He craved to know more about David Rose; he was fascinated by his life before Schitt’s Creek, from the flippant references to celebrity interactions to the endless mentions of his sister’s reckless adventures that he’d needed to clean up. David’s reality about the gallery shouldn’t have seemed too far-fetched in the grand scheme of his odd and extravagant past, but Patrick was quickly learning that there were few things in the life of David Rose that made sense to him. But rather than scare him off, they continued to pull him in deeper.

Patrick finally reached the spot he’d discovered on his second hike at Rattlesnake Point. Knowing what he’d get to experience once he reached the top always kept his spirits high, and he was never disappointed. He sat down on a flat rock and stared out at the view, giving himself some time to breathe, and space for his mind to wander.

Knowing the success of the store would be such a significant triumph for David really put things in perspective for Patrick. He was able to truly measure the stakes and appreciate the hard work David was willing to commit to the huge venture. And he couldn’t help but delight in the fact that he could play even a small role in creating that reality for him. He was touched that David trusted him to be a part of it all.

Patrick knew this wasn’t some fleeting crush that he’d inevitably get over once he was out of sight, out of mind. This wasn’t something he could squash by convincing himself it would be a good idea for him and Rachel to give their relationship another shot. When Patrick saw David throw his head back in frustration, or his eyebrows shoot up in a moment of realization, or get adorably flustered when Patrick teased him, it was clear; David Rose had made a bold mark on Patrick’s life, and rather than pushing that away, Patrick wanted to embrace it at every chance he got.

Things seemed to really click into place for Patrick a few days prior, when he had been at the store waiting for a delivery. He was arranging the candles he had unpacked earlier that morning when David barged into the store, late and clearly flustered.

“What’s up?” Patrick asked slowly, slightly cautious.

David set down his bag next to the register, closed his eyes, and took a controlled breath. “I’m just wondering what I did to deserve a mother who cares so little about her son’s well-being to the point she thinks it’s okay to not only be in contact with my ex, but to invite him _here_ to _collaborate_ on a _project_.”

Patrick’s mind tried not to linger too long on thoughts of the relationship his mom had with Rachel. Or the particular pronoun David used.

“That’s…” He took a moment to process. “Wow.”

“I know,” David said indignantly.

“Bad breakup?”

“Are they ever good?”

Patrick could have unloaded quite a bit in response to that, but he decided against it. Instead he asked, “So why’s your mom working with him?”

“Because this is what he _does_ ,” David declared. He walked over to join Patrick in arranging the candles. He grabbed one and gestured with it wildly as he talked. “He manipulates people into doing things they don’t actually want to do. I thought I was done dealing with that.”

Patrick gently reached for the candle in his hand, giving him a warning look before setting it down on the table in front of them.

“Sorry,” David said, shaking his head. “He makes me crazy.”

“Do you know how long he’s in town?”

David merely shook his head again, his mouth shut tight and his attention suddenly very focused on making sure all of the candles were turned at exactly the right angle with the labels facing out. Patrick took his silence for discomfort.

“Sorry, we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

When David looked up at him, Patrick was glad to see his strained expression had been replaced by something much lighter. “No, no, it’s not that,” David said, waving his hand. He considered his answer for a moment and then said, “I just haven’t even talked to Stevie about this yet.”

Patrick’s stomach dropped quicker than he could register. He should have figured someone like David wasn’t single.

“Current boyfriend?” Patrick was impressed with how evenly the words came out of his mouth, considering how unpleasant they tasted. 

“Oh god, no,” David responded, and Patrick’s lips twitched with a small smile and laugh. “She’s a, uh, girlfriend.” 

Patrick’s mind stuttered like a car driving over a pothole. Just when he thought he was starting to get a grasp on the life of David Rose, something new was thrown his way. “Oh. Cool,” Patrick managed, nodding along with his words despite not having fully processed the turn their conversation had taken. In all honesty, he was less surprised to learn about David’s fluid sexuality, and more so about his own reactions about David’s relationship status.

Apparently his mind rejected the idea of David dating _anybody_. Noted.

David must have caught Patrick’s calculating look, because he quickly followed up. “Sorry, no. Girl - _space -_ friend,” David clarified, and Patrick just listened, mentally releasing a huge breath. “Although at one point we - I mean, we hooked up for a little while when I first moved here, but we realized we were better off just leaving things as friends.” David cleared his throat and furrowed his eyebrows. “She owns the motel - the one my family and I are staying at? She likes to think she’s my landlord. But we’re just...friends.”

Patrick could have gladly listened to David ramble for hours. He basically did, a lot of the time. It was so fucking cute.

“Huh,” Patrick finally reacted. “Well, I guess we’re learning a lot about each other today.”

David crossed his arms. “Well, technically you’re just learning a lot about me.”

Patrick easily slipped both of his hands in his pockets. “That’s fair,” he said while shrugging his shoulders. “What do you want to know?”

Patrick almost regretted the words once they left his mouth. _Please don’t ask me about my exes, or preferences,_ he thought. David’s daring look didn’t give him any relief.

He watched as David carefully wandered around, seeming to really be deciding what to ask. He walked over to another table and glanced into one of the open boxes of wine. Patrick was ready to change the subject and let the conversation drop when David reached into the box, lifted a bottle out, and asked, “Do you like red wine?”

Patrick let out a soft chuckle at the innocence of his question, relieved it wasn’t anything too personal. “Yeah, I do. I actually prefer it to white.”

“Great, I need this after today.” As David took the bottle behind the counter and located a wine opener, Patrick caught him smiling - perhaps at the discovery of what they had in common? He willed the smile to last longer.

Patrick joined David at the register and eyed him skeptically. “So, which one of us is paying for that?”

Between that conversation and Patrick’s offer for David to stay with him yesterday, there was plenty running around in his mind about what all of this meant about him. He considered where he was in his life, slightly frustrated with himself that it had taken him so long to figure out his truth. But the mostly clear skies and incredible scenery that were currently surrounding him certainly helped the process of finally sorting it all out.

When Patrick hiked, he could truly give himself time to reflect. The more he frequented Rattlesnake Point, the more things from his past started to make sense. Why he and Rachel could never seem to make it work, his misguided envy in the locker room during baseball season, or perhaps most recently, how immediately safe he felt around David, and most everyone in Schitt’s Creek.

From the first day they met, Patrick admired how clearly open and comfortable David was with himself. And the more Patrick got to know him, he learned just how much it would take to get David to bend to someone else’s will - if it could even happen at all. Plus, it was so easy for David to casually mention his relationship with the photographer guy and his short-lived thing with Stevie all within five minutes without giving it a second thought. If David could be that transparent about his true self, why couldn’t Patrick do the same thing?

Well, for one, because they were business partners. That complicated things. The store hadn’t even opened yet.

While Patrick had at least admitted to himself that he had feelings for David, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to do anything about it. David had trusted him to help bring Rose Apothecary to life. He didn’t want to jeopardize the success of the store because Patrick didn’t know how to control these new and exciting feelings. Especially not after learning what the success of the store meant to David. Part of caring about someone the way he cared about David was not wanting to see them fail. Could he completely put his feelings aside for the sake of the business? Or would his professionalism constantly be plagued by thoughts of asking David on a date or imagining what it would be like to kiss him?

And what if Patrick put himself out there and didn’t get what he was hoping for in return? He was so out of practice when it came to flirting and reading signals and whatever else people did when they were playing the dating game. Not to mention the fact that David was so out of his league. Granted, up until a few months ago, he hadn’t even known they were playing the same sport. But still. After hearing more about David’s dating history, Patrick had trouble measuring himself in comparison.

Patrick closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He hadn’t come on this hike to get lost in his messy, jumbled thoughts. He came to get clarity. He stood up and walked over to a nearby tree, anchoring himself with one hand against the trunk while he grabbed his foot behind him to stretch his quads. His eyes squinted against the bright beams of sunlight peeking through the leaves on the tree. The burn in his legs was refreshing. One of the benefits of going on hikes to sort out his anxious thoughts was the workout. He’d always been pretty fit from playing sports growing up, and that eventually led to a practiced workout regimen throughout his adult life, but he fell off his routine after moving to Schitt’s Creek, considering the closest gym was almost an hour away in Elmdale. Rattlesnake Point was a much better destination. And staying in shape just happened to have the added bonus of possibly impressing his business partner. Not in a weird way, though. He just knew how much David valued the store’s aesthetic, and he didn’t want to interfere with that. Obviously.

By the time Patrick walked off the trail, he easily settled into feeling the post-workout combination of exhilaration and exhaustion. He welcomed the endorphins that rushed through his body, but he also wanted to shower and then lay in bed for the rest of the day.

He liked having the time to unplug on his hikes, but he was still human, so the first thing he did when he dropped into the driver’s seat of his car was check his phone. He scrolled through a few emails while he turned the key in the ignition and clicked his seatbelt into place, and then read his two unread texts. The first was from Ray, confirming he’d received his rent check, and the other was from David. Patrick tried not to get his hopes up for a text from him whenever he checked his phone, but his attempts were basically useless. He felt a ridiculous swoop in his stomach whenever David’s name was highlighted among the rest of his conversations.

 

**Good news. Alexis is officially lice-free.**

 

Patrick’s smile grew wider as he read the message. Of course he was glad for the sake of the store that they didn’t have to worry about the threat of lice so soon before officially opening. That was probably the same reason David was texting him.

 

_Good news, indeed. How was Stevie’s?_

 

Patrick knew that if he waited for David’s reply, he’d potentially be sitting at the foot of the trail for a while for no reason other than his lack of patience. So he turned off his ringer and drove home; maybe not at the speed deemed safe for Schitt’s Creek, but there were so few cars on the road, it didn’t really matter.

He parked in front of Ray’s and checked his phone on his walk to the front door. He had a reply from David.

 

**Ugh, she’s a monster. Next time, I’m taking you up on your offer.**

 

Patrick chuckled to himself as he stepped inside and made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water.

 

_Next time? Do you plan on someone else in your family getting lice anytime soon?_

 

**God, no. But Stevie is a bully, so I have since dropped her on my list of friends and you’re next up.**

 

_I’m honored. Or should I be concerned that something bad happened between you two?_

 

**Don’t worry, I’m mostly joking.**

 

_So you’re saying I’m not next up on your list of friends?_

 

**Ha, definitely didn’t say that.**

**Maybe you’ve missed how wildly popular I am in this town?**

**Some might even venture to called me beloved.**

 

_Seems like a bit of a stretch._

 

**Great, now I have to knock you off my list, too.**

 

_I’m mostly joking._

 

With a giant grin now taking over his face, Patrick placed down his phone, leaned his elbows on the kitchen counter, and dropped his head in his hands. He let out an amused sigh and shook his head. “ _Damn it_ ,” he muttered, laughing to himself. Had he ever felt so giddy before? There was no denying it; even from a silly text conversation, Patrick knew that the feelings David was eliciting from him were worth paying attention to - and in time, embracing. 

He looked at his phone once more.

 

**Thank god. You’ve earned a top spot quite quickly. I’d cherish it if I were you.**

 

_Oh, I definitely do, David._

 

He had no idea how much.

**Author's Note:**

> watch that scene in the cafe when patrick says "that's a bit of a stretch" and look at david's smile and TELL ME that's not something they've said to each other before OKAY cool thanks
> 
> anyway, after "the hike" I started writing a bunch of these little missing moments that I think all ultimately play a role in patrick's decision to propose so there's more to come!!!! 
> 
> series title comes from "marry me" by betty who


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